Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition
No knocking off Tide
Alabama meets the challenge, unlike Ohio State
1 Oncerises challenge.to again, answer Playing Alabamathe their third consecutive game against a ranked opponent, the Crimson Tide demonstrated why they are the best team in the country. A defense led by Jonathan Allen scored its 12th non-offensive touchdown of the season during Alabama’s rout of Texas A&M.
Ohio State is flawed, but it’s still a playoff contender. 2 Buckeyesfirst game loss underin suffereda Urbantrue The road their Meyer as the team struggled with special teams miscues and poor pass protection against Penn State. Despite the loss, Ohio State can still make a run at the Big Ten title and a College Football Playoff semifinal spot.
3 Leonard Fournette is still a really good running back. you LSU neededstar returneda reminder,afterIn case the missing two games due to injury in dramatic fashion. He rushed for a schoolrecord 284 yards and three touchdowns during the Tigers’ 38-21 win over Ole Miss.
Watch out for Auburn. 4 coach lookedGus Malzahngrim Thingsfor when the Tigers started the season 1-2, but since he handed offensive playcalling duties to offensive coordinator Rhett Lashlee, the team has run off four consecutive wins. The streak includes a 56-3 win Saturday over Arkansas.
5 Things go from bad to worse for Houston. The Cougars had
their Monday Big after12 hopesthe league dashed opted not to expand, then Houston suffered its second loss in its last three games Saturday. The Cougars could do little right during a disappointing 38-16 loss to SMU that eliminated any chance of Houston reaching a New Year’s Six bowl game.
6 It pretty,may not but alwaysWest be Virginia is getting the job done. Dana Holgorsen’s Mountaineers were picked in the preseason polls to finish seventh in the Big 12, but they have been a surprise by jumping out to a 6-0 start thanks to stellar defense and special teams play.
7 Let’s hear it for the
Buffaloes. Mike MacIntyre has resurrected the Colorado football program, taking it from down-and-out to postseason contenders. The Buffs became bowleligible for the first time since 2007 with a win Saturday over Stanford and figure to contend with Utah for the Pac-12 South title.
8 Lamarmains front-runner.the Jackson HeismanThe reLouisville quarterback accounted for 431 yards of total offense and four more total touchdowns, bringing his total to 34, and managed to find time to strike a Heisman pose during the blowout of the Wolfpack.
9 Texas continues to
disappoint. The Longhorns suffered their fourth loss in the past five games when they fell 24-21 to Kansas State on Saturday, ramping up speculation that this could be the beginning of the end of Charlie Strong’s tenure at Texas.
10 Oregon falls flat as defense
struggles. The Ducks lost 52-49 to California in double overtime Friday, Oregon’s fifth consecutive loss of the season. It is the program’s longest losing streak since 1996. Much of the team’s woes can be attributed to a defense that has allowed at least 600 yards during the past three games.